Metal stud



W. R. BURKE Dec. 9; 1969 METAL STUD 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 5, 1967 INVENTOR. William Roy Burke z Fig.1

ATTORNEY United States Patent US. Cl. 52-669 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A metal stud, for use in wall construction, having a sheet metal central Web for disposition perpendicular to the general plane of the wall, in which web there is at least one opening, or cutout, of a novel shape including an upper large area for the rotation therein of a piece of metal channel and a plurality of lower narrow vertically extending slots extending downwardly from the bottom of said large area. Alternatively, the large open area may have one plurality of narrow vertically extending slots extending upwardly therefrom and a second plurality of narrow vertically extending slots extending downwardly therefrom, whereby the stud may be used with either end up. The construction of a wall therefrom involves disposing elongate metal channel horizontally, extending through similar Openings in a plurality of metal studs, rotating the channel to direct the flanges downwardly, and forcing the flanges into the downwardly extending slots.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF INVENTION This invention relates to metal studs having a sheet metal central web, and particularly to openings in the central web for receiving horizontally disposed metal channel.

Metal studs, providing the framing element on which wall surfacing material is affixed, are mounted by attachment at the top and the bottom to a ceiling and a floor or to suitable top and bottom metal ceiling tracks and floor tracks. These studs are normally formed to provide a greater degree of stiffness in a direction perpendicular to the Wall than in a horizontal direction within the plane of the wall. To provide additional lateral stiffness, which is the stiffness in the horizontal direction within the lane of the wall, it has been well known to dispose and afiix cold-rolled metal channel horizontally through the center portions of a plurality of studs, to combine the effective lateral stiffnesses of a plurality of studs.

Simplified means for disposing and affixing the chanchannel and a plurality of downwardly extending slots,

for receiving and frictionally holding channel flanges therein. I

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an improved sheet metal stud having simplified means for receiving and retaining a cold-rolled steel channel extending horizontally therethrough.

It is a further object to provide substantially increased lateral stiffness capabilities of sheet metal studs.

It is a further object to provide improved channel receiving means which may be "formed in a manner to be usable with either end of the stud directed upwardly.

It is a further object to provide an improved sheet metal stud web with bendable supports for allixing resilient supporting material for conduit, pipes, etc.

It is a further object to provide means for receiving and holding lateral stiffening channels of a plurality of variable sizes.

Patented Dec. 9, 1969 Ice These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent when considered in relation to the preferred embodiments as set forth in the specification and shown in thedrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a partially constructed partition including metal studs embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a section of stud and a section of reinforcing channel, said stud embodying a modified form of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a section of a stud as shown in FIG. 1 which has been modified to resiliently support a section of conduit or the like.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a floor 10, with floor track 12 mounted thereon, and a ceiling 14 with ceiling track 16 mounted thereon, the floor track 12 and ceiling track 16 defining the extent and location for construction of a partition.

A plurality of vertically disposed, spaced apart, sheet metal studs 20 are affixed to the floor track 12 and the ceiling track 16, extending therebetween, providing a supporting framework to which wallboards 22 are affixed.

Studs 20 are formed from sheet metal, preferably between about .020 to .040 inch in thickness, which has been folded to a C-shape cross section to provide a wide web 24 which is disposed perpendicular to the general plane of the partition, two attachment flanges 26, 26 extending perpendicularly from the two respective edges of the web 24, and a narrow stiffening flange 28 extending perpendicularly inwardly from the edge of each attachment flange 26, opposite to the edge adjoining web 24.

The stiffness or stability of the partition is a function of many factors in the stud design and the partition design. It is well known that these characteristics can be improved by providing openings in the webs of sheet metal studs and disposing and affixing long lengths of coldrolled steel channels through the alined openings of a plurality of such studs.

In accordance with the present invention, an opening 30 through web 24, centered vertically in each stud 20, includes a central portion 32, four slots 34 extending downwardly therefrom and four similar slots 36 extending upwardly therefrom. In a preferred form the outermost slots are spaced apart about 1 /2 inches and the innermost about inch apart.

A long length of relatively stiff, cold-rolled steel channel 40 extends horizontally through a plurality of stud openings 30. Channels 40 include a normally horizontally disposed top face 42 and two normally downwardly directed side walls 44, 44 extending from the two side edges of the top face 42. The two sidewalls are forcefit downwardly into two of the four slots 34, and frictionally held therein. In FIG. 1 a standard inch channel is shown with its sidewalls 44, 44 disposed in the innermost two slots 34, 34. Alternatively, not shown, a standard inch and a half channel can be used, disposed in the outermost two slots 34, 34.

The upwardly extending slots 36 are completely equivalent to downwardly extend slots 34, and are provided solely so that the stud can be used with either end up, avoiding the otherwise extra care necessary in erection.

The central portion 32 of opening 30 is formed sufficiently large to permit a long length of inch and a half channel to be inserted into the central portion 32 of a plurality of erected studs 20 with the normally horizontally disposed top face 42 disposed vertically, for easier insertion into the openings, and following the channel insertion a rotation of the channel about its lengthwise axis to turn the top face 42 to its normal horizontal disposition. It will thus be understood that the central portion 32 will need have an opening at least as big as the diagonal dimension of the cross section of an inch and a half channel.

FIG. 2 shows a short section of a modified simplified form of stud 50, in accordance with the invention, including a somewhat circular main opening 52 through the web 54 of the stud. A spaced apart, parallel pair of slots 56, 56 extend downwardly from main opening 52. A short section of channel 58 of an appropriate size for use therewith is shown disposed in the main opening 52 in a position as it is being rotated about its axis, to show the function of the necessary size and shape of the main opening for permitting this rotation. In the modified stud 50, care must be taken in erecting studs to put the slots 56, 56 directed downwardly. With only two slots 56, 56 in the stud, only one size channel may be used therewith.

In either stud 20 or stud 50, the slots 34, 36 and 56 are provided with a tapered width, preferably with about .065 inch opening, tapering down to about .040 inch at the end of the slot, to permit easy insertion of channel sidewalls of about .059 inch thickness therein, which will be friction held therein When fully inserted. A suitable friction fit will normally be had without forcing the channel sidewalls all the way into the slots, however both the length of the slots and the height of the channel sidewalls are a half inch, and a very permanent, tight fit 'is provided by complete engagement.

An alternative manner of using the invention is shown in FIG. 3, wherein a tab 60, formed by two slots 34, is bent downwardly through an angle of 90 forming a horizontal shelf for the support and attachment thereto of conduit or other utilities. In the preferred form shown, a resilient pad 62 is adhered to tab 60 providing a resilient support to any conduit or pipe disposed thereon, thereby providing decreased sound transmission within and through the partition.

Any number of the sections between slots may be bent to form horizontal tabs 60. Elongate cold-rolled steel channels or pipes or conduit may be used for lateral stiffness of a plurality of studs by layings it on bent down tabs 60 and welding or screwing it thereto rather than depending on the previously discussed friction fit, if desired. By firmly mounting channel as described herein, the channel end may be affixed to a door frame or the studs above a door frame and provide markedly improved rigidity of the door frame.

Having completed a detailed disclosure of the preferred embodiments of my invention so that others may practice the same, I contemplate that variations may be made therein.

I claim:

1. A metal stud having means along each of the two opposed faces for attachhment of wall surfacing elements, and a relatively wide web of sheet metal therebetween, said web having an opening therethrough, said opening comprising a relatively large main opening and at least two parallel slots extending downwardly from said main opening, each of said parallel slots having a separate pair of metal edges defining the two sides of said slots, said slots having a long dimension which is parallel to the long dimension of said stud and which is greater than the slot width, whereby relatively stiff channel may be inserted into the main opening of a plurality of studs, the side walls thereof directed downwardly and said side walls engaged and friction fit within said slots.

2. A metal stud as defined in claim 1, wherein said downwardly extending slots include two slots which are spaced the furthest appear one from another, said two furthest spaced slots defining the size of the largest channel cross section engageable therein, said large main opening having an area which in size is substantially larger than that area which includes all of said parallel slots and the metal which separates said slots.

3. A metal stud as defined in claim 2 wherein said opening further includes at leasttwo parallel slots extending upwardly from said main opening, whereby said stud may be used in similar manner regardless of which end is mounted upwardly.

4. A metal stud as defined in claim 1 wherein said slots are tapered to provide a progressively tighter fit for said side walls with progressively further insertion thereof.

5. A partition framework comprising a plurality of spaced vertically disposed studs as defined in claim 1 and a relatively stiff, elongate channel having downwardly directed side walls friction fit within a pair of said downwardly extending slots in each of said plurality of studs.

6. A partition framework comprising a plurality of spaced vertically disposed studs as defined in claim 2 and a relatively stiff, elongate channel having downwardly directed side walls friction fit within a pair of said downwardly extending slots in each of said plurality of studs.

7. A partition framework comprising a plurality of spaced vertically disposed studs as defined in claim 3 and a relatively stiff, elongate channel having downwardly directed side walls friction fit within a pair of said downwardly extending slots in each of said plurality of studs.

8. A partition framework comprising a plurality of spaced vertically disposed studs as defined in claim 4 and a relatively stiff, elongate channel having downwardly directed side walls friction fit within a pair of said downwardly extending slots in each of said plurality of studs.

9. A partition framework comprising a plurality of spaced vertically disposed studs as defined in claim 1 wherein in each said stud a bendable tab of sheet metal formed between a pair of said parallel slots is bent over and horizontally disposed, and an elongate relatively stiff element is supported on the said tabs of said plurality of studs.

10. A partition framework as defined in claim 9 wherein a resilient pad is disposed between said tabs and said elongate element, provided reduced sound transmission within and through said partition.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,566,622 9/1951 Millier 211--182 X 3,305,981 2/1967 Biggs et al 52-730 X 3,322,447 5/1967 Biggs 287--189.36

FOREIGN PATENTS 861,575 2/ 1961 Great Britain.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner PRICE C. PAW, JR., Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

